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Ontario Police encourage safety strategies to protect people with Alzheimer’s

August 28, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As a caregiver to a person with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, there are few things worse than finding out they have wandered off and cannot be found.

To help provide peace of mind and support to the individuals who care for those with Alzheimer’s, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is encouraging the use of safety strategies, such as tracking devices and community-based programs.

These safeguards are especially important considering 60 per cent of people with dementia-related memory problems will become lost or wander at some point, according to the Alzheimer’s Society of Ontario.

“No single product or strategy can guarantee safety, but combining technology with community awareness can make a critical difference,” reads a statement from the OPP.

Locator or tracking devices, such as GPS, radio frequency (RF), or Bluetooth, can make all the difference in locating a missing person.

With each technology having its own strengths and limitations, it’s important to consider what product works best for the person who needs it.

GPS is best for outdoor tracking, but requires frequent charging. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) devices have a long battery life but limited range, particularly in rural areas. RF is best for indoors, although it has a shorter range than GPS.

A list of physical devices and mobile apps has been compiled by the Aging and Innovation Research Program at the University of Waterloo, in collaboration with the Alzheimer Society of Ontario and AGE-WELL NCE. View the list of locator devices at uwaterloo.ca/aging-innovation-research-program/locator-devices-older-people-risk-going-missing.

Project Lifesaver is an important tool that utilizes locator device technology to protect and quickly locate individuals at risk of wandering.

The program is run as a partnership between the OPP and several Alzheimer Societies across Ontario.

“Participants wear a lightweight bracelet transmitter that emits a unique radio frequency signal. When someone goes missing, trained officers use specialized receivers to locate the signal, often within minutes,” said the OPP.

Project Lifesaver has had OPP involvement since 2005, when the Essex County OPP Detachment launched a pilot program in partnership with Project Lifesaver International.

In 2008, the Caledon Detachment followed with its own pilot initiative.

“These early successes demonstrated the program’s effectiveness in locating individuals at risk of wandering due to cognitive conditions such as dementia. As a result, the OPP formally endorsed the use of Project Lifesaver later in 2008, supporting its broader implementation across the province,” said the OPP.

While it is a community decision whether to adopt Project Lifesaver, the OPP is willing to partner with any community in its jurisdiction that is looking to implement it.

The OPP absorbs the costs related to officer training for the program.

“The OPP continues to work with health organizations, long-term care facilities, and families to promote safety and awareness. If someone you care for is living with dementia, please contact your local Alzheimer Society or OPP detachment to learn more about available resources,” said the OPP.

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